Snow-melting apparatus



P. GONNOLL Y. SNOW MELTING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 19. I9I8- Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

TOR.

ATTORNEY.

INVEN 0 r 1 TNESS:-

PATRICK conivonry, on NEW YORK, n. Y.

SNOW-MEETING AI PARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. 7 Patgnted Aug, 16 1921,

Application filed August 19, 1918. Serial No. 250,432.

concern To all to ham it may I, PATRICK GONNOLLY,

Be it known that a citizen of the New York city, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Snow- Melting Apparatus, fully described and represented in and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to snow melting ap-' paratus, The removal of snow from city streets, and especially from the streets of large cities, presents a serious problem. The snow cannot be dumped into the sewers in any considerable quantity because of the danger of blocking the sewers, and it is necessary, therefore, quite generally to haul the snow for comparatively long distances to places suitablefor disposal thereof.

The present invention has been made especially with the idea of providing apparatus suitable for installation at various points throughout a city sothat snow from a district to be served by any particular apparatus need be hauled only a comparatively short distance to the apparatus and dumped into the apparatus to be quickly melted, the resulting water being discharged into the sewer without harm.

The invention aims to provide a snow melting apparatus which maybe permanently located beneath the surface of a city street or at any other suitable and convenient location beneath the surface of the desired and so that the snow from the collection carts may be dumpeddirectly into the receiving opening of the apparatus.

The invention aims further to provide an apparatus which shall be of comparatively simple and durable construction and of high melting efficiency and adapted for adjustment as to the degree and manner of use I and character of the snow to be melted, and which, if located beneath the surface of the ground,shall not when not in use interfere with the use of the street'or other place where the apparatus is'located.

A full understanding of the invention can best be given by a detaildescription of a preferred form of apparatus embodying the various features of the invention,

and such a descrlption will now be given in connection with the accompanying draw- United States, residing at the following specification round, so as to be available for'use when.

of heat developed according to the amount ings illustrating such an apparatus, and in which Figure 1 is a sectional view of such an apparatus; and

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus with interior parts and fitting thereof indicated by dotted lines, the cover; of the oil tank chamber, which is shown in place in Fig. 1, being removed.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus comprises means providing a melting chamber 10, which in an apparatus comprising 'all the features of the invention and as illustrated is formed by a pit sunk below the level of the ground and having side retaining walls 11, a water retaining bottom wall 12, and a top orccover wall 13. .When the pit is located beneath the pavement of a street, the top wall lid-may be made to serve as a part of the street pavement above the pit, or may be at The chute most des rably extends vertically downward, and terminates a short distancefrom the bottom of the pit, ordinarily about three feet from the bottom, and is open at its lower or discharge end. It is most de' sirably comparatively long in one direction and narrow in the other in cross-section, with its opposite sidewalls inclined slightly inward toward each otherin the downward directionso that the smaller cross-dimension of the chute gradually decreases from its upper to its lower end Extending about the chute is a casing 15 which is spaced away from the walls of the chute and. is best made to flare outward somewhat in the direction from its upper.

to its lower end so that the space between the casing and the chute shall be of decreasing cross-area in the direction fromthe lower to the upper portion thereof. From the upper end of'the casing 15, a connecting casing 16 leads off to an outlet open-- ing .17 through the top wall 13', providing an outlet passagefrom the upper end of the space between the casing 15 and the chute for the discharge of the products of combustion as hereinafter explained. A

sucha level that the regular street pavement will. be extended over discharge pipe or drain outlet 20 leads from the lower part of the chamber or pit to connect with the sewer for carrying away the water resulting from the melting of the snow, the intake end of this pipe opening to the chamber at a point above the bottom ofthe chamber and most desirably slightly below the lower or discharge end of the chute. The purpose of having the intake opening of this pipe located above the bot' tom of the chamber is to maintain in the operation of the apparatus a body of water in the bottom of the chamber and to conduct away water which collects therein above the level of the pipe opening, the bottom of the chamber thus serving as a mud pit or sump for the collection of mud and sub stances of various sorts which it is un desirable to have discharged into the sewer. The intake opening of the discharge pipe 20 will be protected by a suitable guard netting 21.

Arranged about the chute 14 are a plurality of burner nozzles 25 arranged to direct heating flames against the sides of the chute. The apparatus will usually be arranged for the use of oil as fuel, and it will usually be desirable to construct the apparatus so that the oil on its way to the burners will be vaporized and discharged from the burners in the form of oil vapor. I11 the apparatus shown the oil is supplied from a tank 30 located in a tank chamber provided adjacent the melting chamber, the oil being forced from the tank in the ordinary manner by means of air pressure supplied to the interior of the tank from an air pump 31 discharging into the tank past a check valve 32. The oil is forced from the tank through a supply pipe 33 which extends into the melting chamber or pit, and branches, one branch leading clownward to a heating coil 34 on one side of the tank, and the other branch to a heating coil 34 on the other side of the tank. From the two coils, connection is made by pipe 35 to headers 36, one on each side of the chamber, from which connection is made to the nozzles 25, which are arranged in two series, one on each side of the chute. The supply pipe 33 is provided with a valve 33 which serves as a shut off valve and also as an adjusting valve by which the amount of oil burned and the amount of heat supplied for melting the snow may be varied and regulated as desired. The nozzles 25 are most desirably located to discharge through openings 37 formed in the casing 15 as shown. The burner nozzles are or may be of any suitable Bunsen burner construction for discharging the oil vapor with some air drawn from the space outside the casing mixed therewith, and additional air for supporting combustion will enter through the burner openings 37 in the casing. For supplying the air for supporting combustion, an opening 38 is provided in the top' chamber wall 13, which opening also serves as a manhole for entrance to the chamber.

In addition to the burner nozzles 25, additional burner nozzles 40 similar to the nozzles 25 are provided arranged in two series, one on each side of the chute, and set to discharge in the direction of the space below and on each side of the lower or discharge end of the chute. The flames from these nozzles 40 will thus be directed against the surface of the body of water in the bottom of the pit or,chamber and against any snow which, falling unmelted through the chute, may collect in or float on the surface of such water. These nozzles 40 are connected with and supplied with oil vapor from headers 41 connected with the pipes 35 leading from the vaporizing coils 34 and 34 Extending about the sides of the pit or chamber slightly above the level of the intake opening of the discharge pipe 20, is a shelf 45 on which a man may standin cleaning the bottom of the pit or in making repairs or adjustments of the apparatus. This shell also serves as a convenient support for the heating coils 34 and 34 for supporting the coils in position to be heated by the flames from the lower nozzles 40.

Suitable covers are provided for the openings l7 and 38 and for the snow receiving opening at the upper end of the chute. The covers for the openings 17 and 38 are removed when the apparatus is in use, and these covers, 46 and 47, are indicated merely by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The cover 48 for the chute opening, which is shown closed in Fig. 1, will usually be left closed during the use of the apparatus except when snow is to be dumped into the chute. The chute cover 48 is most desirably made, as shown, in two parts hinged at the sides of the opening and connected by gear segments 49 so as to be opened and closed together by a single operating hand rod or lever 50 which is made detachable. The cover may thus be opened, as shown in Fig. 1 by dotted lines, after a bottom-dump wagon or cart has been driven over the chute opening. It will usually be desirable to provide means for increasing the flow of air into the melting chamber and of the products of combustion from the space between the chute and the casing 15. For this purpose it will usually be sufficient to provide a short chimney or draft pipe 55 to be connected at the outlet opening 17 and to be removed when the apparatus is not in use.

In using the ap i aratus as so far described, the covers 46 and 47 being removed from the openings 17 and 38 and the draft pipe being provided at the opening 17, and

there being suitable air pressure in the oil tank to force the oil through the supply pipe leading to the burners, will be opened and the jets from the burners will be lighted to heat, up the apparatus, usually before dumping snow into the chute. The heating coils 34 and 84? may be heated for vaporizing the oil at the start in any suitable manner, asby lighting some oil-soaked waste placed on the coils. When the coils are heated, the oil passing through them under pressure from the tanlr is vaporized and jets of oil vapor" and, air are discharged from the burner nozzle, additional air for the jets from the nozzles 25 flowing through the openings 37 and beneath the bottom of the casing 15. The products of combustion rising in the space between the chute and the casing 15, give up heat to the walls of the chute and escape through the outlet opening 17 and draft pipe 55. Fresh air will thus be constantly drawn into the chamber through the opening 38, and free and intense combustion will be maintained with the development of the required heat.. \Vhen snow is dumped into the chute 14;, the chute cover being opened, and being most desirably closed between dumpings in order to prevent loss of heat, the snow will be more or less melted within the chute. Because of the downwardly tapering form of the chute, the snow is prevented from falling in large quantities directly through the chute and tends to collect therein, wedging against the sidewalls of the chute. These side walls being intensely heated by the flames from the nozzles 25, the snow which is against the walls is rapidly melted, so that the mass of snow which has become wedged in the chute will move gradually downward therethrough, the water and uninelted snow finally being discharged into the bottom or the pit below the discharge end of the chute, such unmelted snow thus coming within range of the flames from the lower nozzles 40. The bottom of the chamber may contain a body of water up to alevel not higher than the intake opening of the outlet pipe 20 at the beginning of the operation. Ii". not, water resulting from melting the snow will collect in the bottom 01" the pit until it reaches the discharge level. Additional water collecting in the pit will be drained of? through the pipe 20. Unmelted snow and ice will be prevented from entering the discharge pipe by the guard netting 21, and pieces of wood, stone, etc., which might clog the discharge pipe or which it is undesirable to have enter the sewer will also be held back by the guard netting. Such articles and dirt or mud which may be dumped into the chute with the show will thus collect in the bottom of the pit to be the valve 38 with means for V chamber.

removed from time to time through the opening 38 as: may be necessary. I By adjusting the valve 33 the burner flames may be regulated according to the amount of snow to=be melted and the degree oi? heat required.

The apparatus is most desirably provided discharging a plurality of jets of water directed toward the space below and adjacentto the lower or discharge end of the chute 14:. For this purpose, in the apparatus shown, a water supply pipe 60 controlled by a valve 61 is led into the melting chamber and connected by" branch pipes 62 to side of the chute and casing 15 and provided each with a plurality ofdischarge nozzles 64 positioned to di ect jets of water downwardly and inwardly toward the space below and adjacent to the lower end of the chute. The supply pipe 60 and valve 61 headers 63 located one on each should be located deep enough inthe ground to avoid freezing, and the valve may be operated by a key-rod 65 extending up ward, or by other suitable means.- use of water jets will not always be necessary in the operation. of the apparatus, but such jets, even when the water is at the usual supply temperature, will aid substantially in the melting of snow which passes through the chute into the bottom of the chamber and will thus reduce the amount of fuel: necessary to be used. The effect of the water jets d'scharged from the nozzles 64: is greater if the water is heated, and where a supply of heated. water is not available, this being usually the case, the apparatus may be provided with means for heating the The i water supplied to the nozzles 64. Any su1tv may be provided for this purpose, and in ings a coil heater between the supply pipe 60 and the branch pipes 62. The burner of this heater may be supplied with oil from the tank 30, a sepa rate supply pipe 67 having a control valve 68 being shown for this purpose.

The apparatus illustrated is also provided with a steam heating coil 70 extending about the sides of the bottom portion of the melting chamber so as to heat the body of water standing therein, such coil as shown being supplied with steam through a pipe 71 leading upward and into the oil tank chamber for connection to a pipe from a source of steam supply. From the other end of the coil a vent pipe 72 This additional heating means may be used in conjunction with the main heating means when an unusually large amount of snow is to be melted','or in unusually severe weather, or the heating coil alone, or the water jets alone, or the two together wi hout the main heating means, may

66 is shown connected extends upward into the be used to heat the body of water standing in the lower part of the chamber when only a comparatively small amount of snow is to be melted, the snow in such case all passing downward through the chute to be melted after being discharged from the chute into the body of water in the bottom of the pit.

It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact construction, arrangement and combinations of parts shown and to which the foregoing description has been largely confined, but that it includes changes and modifications thereof within the claims. For example, While the invention has been made especially with the idea of providing an apparatus to be located entirely below the surface level of the ground, features of the invention may 0bviously be embodied in apparatus not so located.

What is claimed is:

1. Snow melting apparatus, comprising in combination a melting chamber, a chute extending downward into the chamber for receiving snow to be melted, a heat confining casing located within the melting chamber and extending about the chute and spaced therefrom, a burner nozzle for directing a heating flame against the outside of said chute within the casing, means for supplying air to said chamber, means providing an outlet passage for the products of combustion leading from the upper part of said casing, and a drain outlet leading from the lower part of said chamber.

2. Snow melting apparatus, comprising in combination a melting chamber, a chute of downwardly tapering form extending vertically downward into the chamber for receiving the snow to be melted and having its discharge opening located near the bottom of the chamber, a plurality of burner nozzles arranged about the chute, some of said nozzles being positioned to direct heating flames against the outside of the chute and some being arranged to direct heating flames downwardly toward the space adjacent and below the lower end of the chute, and a drain outlet leading from the lower part of the chamber.

3. Snow melting apparatus, comprising a heating chamber, a chute extending downward into the chamber, a heat confining casing arranged about said chute and spaced therefrom and having burner openings therein, burner nozzles set to discharge through the burner openings in the casing and against the chute, other burner nozzles set to discharge downwardly toward the space adjacent and below the lower end of the chute,

means for supplying fuel to said burner nozzles, means for supplying air to said chamber, means providing an outlet passage for the products of combustion leading from the upper end of said casing, and a drain outlet leading from said chamber below the level of the lower end of the chute and above the bottom of the chamber.

4. Snow melting apparatus, comprising a downwardly extending chute for receiving the snow to be melted, a casing arranged about said chute and spaced therefrom, means for causing the combustion of fuel between said chute and said casing for heating the walls of the chute, means for withdrawing the products of combustion from the upper end of the space between the chute and said casing, means for supplying heat directly to unmelted snow passing out from the lower end of the chute, and means for discharging water produced by the melting of the snow.

5. Snow melting apparatus, comprising a downwardly extending and downwardly tapering chute for receiving the snow to be melted, a casing arranged about said chute and spaced therefrom, means beneath the discharge end of the chute for retaining unmelted snow discharged from the chute, means for directing heating flames against the outside of the walls of the chute, and' means for directing heating flames clownward toward the space adjacent and below the lower end of the chute.

6. Snow meltingapparatus, comprising a melting chamber formed by a pit sunk beneath the surface of the ground and having side walls and a top wall, a chute extending downward from the top wall into the pit for receiving the snow to be melted, a plurality of burner nozzles arranged some to direct heating flames against the sides of the chute and some to direct heating flames downwardly toward the space below the discharge end of the chute, means for supplying fuel to said burner nozzles, means for supplying air for supporting combustion, means for conducting the products of combustion from the pit, and a water discharge pipe leading from the lower part of the pit at a point some distance above the bottom thereof.

7. Snow melting apparatus, comprising a melting chamber formed by a pit sunk be neath the surface of the ground and having side walls and a top wall, a chute extending downward from the top wall into the pit for receiving the snow to be melted, a plurality of burner nozzles arranged some to direct heating flames against the sides of the chute and some to direct heating flames downwardly toward the space below the discharge end of the chute, means for supplying fuel to said burner nozzles, means for supplying air for supporting combustion, means for conducting the products of combustion from the pit, a water discharge pipe leading from the lower part of the pit at a point below the level of the lower end of the chute and above the bottom of the pit,

of water tothe and means for directing jets ward the space below the lower end of chute.

8. Snow melting apparatus, comprising a melting chamber formed by a pit sunkbe neath the surface of theground and having side walls and a top wall, a chute extending downward from the top wall into the pit for receiving the snow to be melted, a heat confining casing arranged about the chute and spaced therefrom, burner nozzles set to discharge against the sides of the chute within the casing, other burner nozzles set to discharge downwardly toward the space adjacent and below the lower end of the chute, means for supplying fuel to said burner nozzles, an air inletopening in the top wall, an outlet opening in the top wall, a passage leading to said outlet'opening from the upper end of the space between the chute and said casing, and draft inducing means for enhancing the flow of air into the chamber and the products of combustion from the space within the casing.

9. $now melting apparatus, comprising a melting chamber formed by a pit sunk beneath the surface of the ground and having side walls and a top wall, a chute extending downward from the top wall into the pit for receiving the snow to be melted, heating means associated with the chute for melting snow in its passage through the chute, a water discharge pipe leading from the lower part of the pit at a point above the bottom thereof, water discharge nozzles for directing jets of water toward the space below the lower end of the chute, and means for heating water supplied to said nozzles.

10. Snow melting apparatus, comprising a melting chamber formed by a pit sunk beneath the-surface of the ground and having side walls and a top wall, a chuteextending downward from the top wall into the pit for receiving the snow to be melted, external heating means associated withthe chute for heating snow in its passage through the chute, a water discharge pipe leading from the lower part of the pit at a point above the bottom thereof, and a heating coil arranged in the bottom of the pit below the intake opening of the water discharge pipe for heating water standing in the bottom of the pit.

11. Snow melting apparatus, comprising a melting chamber formed by a pit sunk beneath the surface of the ground and having side walls and a top wall, a chute extending downward from the top wall into the pit for receiving the snow to be melted, external heating means associated with said chute, a cover for the mouth of said chute formed of two parts hinged at the sides of the chute mouth to turn upward to open position, and a water discharge pipe leading from the above the bottom thereof.

12. Snow melting apparatus, comprising a melting chamber, the bottom of which forms a receptacle for water, a discharge pipe leading from said receptacle at a point above its bottom, a chute for receiving snow to be melted extending into said chamber from the top thereof to a point above the level of said discharge pipe, and means for directing a plurality of jets of hot water against the snow discharged from said chute and floating upon the water in said receptacle.

13. Snow melting apparatus, comprising a receptacle for holding water, a discharge pipe leading from said receptacle at a point above its bottom, a snow receiving chute above said receptacle and adapted to discharge snow uponthe water in said receptacle','and fuel jets directed against the snow discharged from said chute and floating upon the water in said receptacle.

14:. Snow melting apparatus, comprising a snow receiving chute greater in length than in cross-section and gradually tapering from its top to its bottom, external heating means surrounding said chute, a receptacle for water below the lower end of saidchute, a discharge pipe leading receptacle at a point above its bottom, and means for heating the snow discharged from said chute and floating upon the water in said receptacle. 7

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ETHEL 'JoHNns, A. L. KENT.

lower part of the pit at a point from said 

